From the inquiry based essay, I learned how to break down the introduction of a topic to an audience. My topic for the essay was paraben free products and whether people should purchase them. I introduced the topic by explaining what parabens are, where they are found, their effects. I then used all of that information to come to an analysis on whether people should opt for paraben free products. I also learned to compare sources and their main points, while incorporating my own ideas. I was not aware of these ways of writing in August.

My audience consists of people looking to live a healthier and cleaner lifestyle, as well as people who are not sure whether they should start using paraben free products. This includes those who are dealing with issues and illnesses such as cancer, infertility, and hormonal-change related issues, since these are associated with excess paraben use. Given that this is my audience, I used a cautionary tone, consistently reminding the reader that an excess use of paraben-containing products could cause adverse reactions in the human body. The genre was an essay, and I used language that was mostly formal, but somewhat conversational. I acknowledged the audience’s possible concern that completely avoiding parabens is difficult, and came to a compromise backed up by the evidence that complete avoidance isn’t necessary.

The topic of my essay came from thinking about things that piqued my interest. Through peer review I was able to word my research question clearer. Once I decided on my research question, I looked for credible sources that discussed my topic in ways that could add to my thoughts. It was determined through further peer review that a thorough explanation of the health effects of parabens and the controversy surrounding them should be included in the essay. After a draft was completed, I went in and added more personal analysis of the facts and sources, so that the essay would be more than just evidence.

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